Opinion

Kata - February 11, 2010

Thursday 11 February 2010 | Published in Kata

Fishing promises come to nothing

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest but also with great concern that ‘pressure’ is put on the minister to bend, in many ways, under the thumb of some unscrupulous businessmen who have no regards for what others feel or think about their ways and strategies. The last time the fishing licences were granted, despite the […]

Kata - February 10, 2010

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Kata

'No' for a nationally elected PM

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

On the subject of political reform, one signaller says in 2006 when prime minister Jim Marurai knew that he did not have the support, he called a snap election. “In 2010 he knows he doesn’t have the support of the MPs in the house but is willing to hold on as long as it takes […]

Rotten egg

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am concerned for the country’s future in regards to the proposed manganese mining. Has anyone done any research on the environmental and health effects? From what I have researched so far, if you let the mining in you will not be sitting on a golden egg but a rotten one. Rob Thurnham

It's about open dialogue

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The comments by Makiuti Tongia in his letter to the editor on Monday is distasteful and dangerously misleading. In other words his comments show the state of mind of a bitter disturbed person wilfully exploiting the courage of the current government and hoping to spin it into dead-end conclusions. In my view he […]

Tap calling Nemo

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, May I try one more time to respond to the ever persistent writer, “Finding Nemo”? Nemo seems to think that somehow I am both the chief scientist and chief engineer of a company that seeks to obtain a seabed exploration license under the new legislation. I am neither. I am a member of […]

Maori only

Monday 8 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Since moving to Aotearoa eight years ago, I have noted that the tangata whenua (NZ Maori) have become the manuhiri (strangers) in their own land. I do not want this ever to happen back home. Therefore I am suggesting that our Constitution be amended so that no one can ever become a member […]

Service, lies, police

Monday 8 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Hi, I am writing in regards to a few things. Customer service, lies and the police. I have witnessed how our people treat their visitors. People are no longer friendly and there are hardly any smiles, when making purchases in shops. At the check out ready to pay, the attendant didn’t even smile […]

Wrong to silence the minority

Monday 8 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It is wrong for this ‘government of five’ to merge the seats of Manihiki and Rakahanga, and Mitiaro and Mauke into one seat each in parliament. The initiative is based on roughly 500 voters to one seat that the islands do not yet meet and is therefore disqualified on this basis alone. However […]

Let the people decide

Monday 8 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I agree with letter writer, Very Concerned Voter in Thursday’s paper. If cabinet, which by the way includes the PM and his four ministers, can’t see that Tata Crocombe has a clear and direct conflict of interest as chairman of the Cook Islands Tourism board and the owner of two major hotels, then […]

'Fruit picking' is based on invalid science

Monday 8 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In response to Tap Pryor’s editorial equating harvesting nodules to picking fruit, I have issue with the few details he provided. He claims there ‘may’ be life down there, but most likely not because of the photographs he examined in the 1990s. Let’s take a closer look at the size of the area […]

Go back to the people, please

Saturday 6 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A lot of public opinion has been aired about government’s plans, through the proposals for political reform presented by both Crocombe and Short. The 12-point reform proposal put forward by Tata and Iaveta has in one way or other preempted the people’s views on what direction we should be taking. This planned initiative […]

Kata - February 6, 2010

Saturday 6 February 2010 | Published in Kata

Power savings to the people

Saturday 6 February 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

It’s said there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but you can get something for free when you next pay your power account. In a project between the country’s electricity utility Te Aponga Uira and the Asian Development Bank, householders in the Cook Islands get a voucher for three energy-saving light bulbs. The only […]

Picking fruit 6000m below

Friday 5 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The letter writer “Finding Nemo” is concerned about the impact of sucking nodules off the bottom and that’s good. However, he/she says that “Tap seems to think that there’s no life down there”. In fact, the several previous explorations had taken thousands of close-up photos of the seabed that is 6000 metres below. […]

The Rarotongan hits back

Friday 5 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This is in response to Albert Tini’s letter to the editor in the Cook Islands News edition of February 1, 2010. The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa has for many years paid three separate incentive bonuses to all wage earners in addition to their flat rates. These bonuses are paid out weekly and […]

Irreversible damage done

Thursday 4 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We, the people of this country, address these issues directly to prime minister Jim Marurai. 1. As PM, all cabinet portfolios belong to you but you delegate them amongst your ministers. 2. As chairman of cabinet, you chair all cabinet meetings and you are the only one who can call cabinet to meet. […]

Prayer study unconvincing

Thursday 4 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear editor In Kenny Valoa’s letter of Tuesday February 2 he refers to a study by Dr R C Byrd published in the Southern Medical Journal in 1988 which claimed that intercessory prayer had a positive effect on coronary patients. Being intrigued as Valoa suggests many might be, I downloaded Byrd’s study and read it. […]

Profile all the MPs, please

Thursday 4 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, With all political turmoil we are experiencing, some of us don’t know much about the politicians really. Would it be possible for you to publish short biographies of them? It could be spread out a few at a time. It would be better if the public knows a bit more about them such […]